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Adults with chronic low back pain in the United States were more likely to use marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine and were also more likely to have a current prescription for pain-relieving opioid analgesics than adults without chronic low back pain, according to investigators.

For patients with degenerative spinal disease, surgery is more effective in reducing pain that interferes with sexual activity, compared to nonsurgical treatment.

Researchers have developed a symmetry-recognition system for the surface of the human back that can three-dimensionally detect the early stages of idiopathic scoliosis, a type of spinal deformity, without the help of a specialist doctor.

Tai Chi, a low-impact mind-body exercise, can be as effective as neck exercises in relieving persistent neck pain, according to results of randomized controlled trial.

Millions of people take opioids for chronic back pain, but many of them get limited relief while experiencing side effects and worrying about the stigma associated with taking them, suggests research.

In people with breathing difficulties caused by phrenic nerve injury, surgical reconstruction of the nerve can lead to significant improvement in breathing and an increase in regular physical activities, say researchers.

For patients with severe, chronic back and leg pain, a new high-frequency spinal cord stimulation (SCS) technique provides superior clinical outcomes, compared to conventional low-frequency SCS, reports a clinical trial.

For older adults, a fractured hip is often life-changing: The majority will never return to their former levels of independence and physical activity, according to new research.

An already available drug can help patients get back on their feet more rapidly after a hip fracture, according to an international study published in the Journal of Bone Joint Surgery. The results suggest that treatment with the drug accelerates the healing process in broken bones.

This study compared patients who underwent treatment with short or long cephalomedullary nails with integrated cephalocervical screws and linear compression.